Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blames staff member for Sonics joke that bombed
Feb 19, 2025, 1:41 PM | Updated: 2:17 pm
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell says the city is on the right path, but more work is needed. (Photo: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest)
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell acknowledged on “The Jake and Spike Show” on 成人X站 Newsradio that while there have been considerable safety improvements to the downtown core, “it doesn’t refute the fact that there’s so much work to do.”
鈥淲hen you are an optimist, you don’t realize that you got to keep pushing. You got to keep cleaning up the streets and making sure people are housed and treated and the debris has to be off the ground,鈥� said Harrell. 鈥淎nd so, yes, things are on the rise, I think people do see the changes we’ve made in this city, but we have to keep moving.”
Harrell gave his 2025 State of the City address at Benaroya Hall on Tuesday afternoon. He said Seattle is 鈥渙n the rise.鈥� His speech was peppered with successes under his administration over the past year.
鈥淎 new report from the King County Prosecutor鈥檚 Office shows gun violence levels are trending downward for the first time since 2018,鈥� Harrell said.
But it was a Harrell joke about bringing the Sonics back to Seattle that got the most attention after the speech. He apologized, but said he was just “taking a chance” with a joke that a staffer wrote.
A Sonics joke that doesn’t land
Harrell downplayed the Sonics joke, explaining that 鈥渋t was not my idea.鈥�
鈥淚t was brought to me literally the night before [when] we were practicing,鈥� Harrell explained.
鈥淩ight now, at this moment, I have an announcement to make,鈥� Harrell said at the state of the city speech, while reaching down behind his lectern. He pulled out a basketball and began spinning it in his hands as the crowd started gasping in shock and cheers.聽After several beats, Harrell leaned into the microphone and declared, 鈥淣aw, I鈥檓 just kidding鈥� I got you!鈥�
The crowd jeered in response, but Harrell says they reacted “in jest.” But he said he opted to 鈥渢ake a chance鈥� with the joke because 鈥減eople appreciate a mayor that will take a chance again.鈥�
鈥淭he boos were in jest. I mean, these are friends and supporters and enthusiasts about this city. And I even got a call from my daughter who works for the Washington Football team. And so she was like, 鈥楧ad, come on!鈥� So, you know, again, you take a chance, and I think people appreciate a mayor that will take a chance again.鈥�
Listen to the interview below.
Listen to 鈥淭he Jake and Spike Show鈥�聽weekdays from noon-3 p.m. on 成人X站聽Newsradio, 97.3 FM.聽Subscribe to the podcast here.聽Follow Jake on聽听补苍诲听.
